Mahlik: (Lead) A gay teenage runaway with a history of sexual abuse. His crisis comes from a lack of dreams, of not seeing a future for himself at all. For Mahlik, a boy who yearns for love and security, the search for a 'daddy' is both literal and heartbreakingly sincere. Mahlik is a good kid, though not terribly bright. He’s strong enough to leave an intolerable situation at home, but not smart enough to think more than a few steps ahead and realize how truly tough life on the street would be. In the script, a history of sexual abuse at the hands of his uncle, Maurice, is indicated. Because of this, Mahlik is torn up inside and, like many young men his age, finds himself completely incapable of articulating his emotional state.